


Anger: Ash's Style

by sympatheticxlly



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Anger, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum Has Aura Powers, Whoopsies ash is angry, mentions of Aura, now there's explosive anger, the cold and calm kind of anger though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29656764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sympatheticxlly/pseuds/sympatheticxlly
Summary: Ash is known for being the happy, always positive one of the group.But sometimes, it isn't like that.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 114





	1. Iris

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I Understand (5 + 1)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27450742) by [Maiden22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiden22/pseuds/Maiden22). 



"Oh?" 

Ash cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow at Iris. His sienna eyes just _daring _her to speak up. His hands curling in around his sides, small wisps of aura floating about. But no, it wasn't how Ash usually balled his fists in excitement, or in the way he did it when hot anger usually lashed out at Iris because of her "You're such a kid!" comment.__

__No, Ash was calm. It was almost scary like that. His eyes were downright furious, but he gave off an aura of being unimpressed, maybe disappointment or amusement as well._ _

__\---------_ _

__Iris was confused._ _

__Instead of the usual whine and scream from Ash after her words, she received a side of Ash she'd never seen before._ _

__This new... _character _isn't how Ash usually acted. This was like a whole new different person.___ _

____The Ash she knew was carefree._ _ _ _

____The Ash she knew was naive and childish._ _ _ _

____The Ash she knew... wasn't this person._ _ _ _

____Of course, she wouldn't ever let Ash know that she was scared of him. Besides, who would be scared of a little kid? He'd get over this small phase and be back to normal the next day.... right?_ _ _ _

____\---------_ _ _ _

____After a tense silence, she spoke up._ _ _ _

____"W- Well, of course!" Iris got out. "You're always childish and you don't take time to train your Pokemon! You're always just so arrogant and naive. I know starting out as a ten year old is hard, but seriously, this is kind of a stretch. I can't believe I agreed to travel with you..."_ _ _ _

____Ash actually chuckled at that, but Cilan could hear a bitter undertone to it. Another unimpressed stare was given to Iris._ _ _ _

____"You do understand," he drawled, "that I'm older than _both _of you, right? Plus, you really don't need to travel with me. I've done this plenty of times before."___ _ _ _

______"Now, now, Ash," Cilan tried intervening before it got too extreme. "Just apologize to Iris, okay? There's no need to lie even if it gives you the upper hand, excuses aren't nee-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You honestly think I would lie just so I can win this very unnecessary conversation?" There wasn't any anger, no accusation, just a tired resignation of someone who's been through too much._ _ _ _ _ _

______Iris snorted, trying to hide her surprise of how Ash has been acting today. "Well, you definitely know how to lie. Like that time you told us Zekrom decided to just make a storm and blast your Pikachu! What type of childhood fantasy is that? Just face the fact that Pikachu isn't the strongest species."_ _ _ _ _ _

______\----------_ _ _ _ _ _

______Ash was honestly tired of being in Unova._ _ _ _ _ _

______Don't get him wrong, the region and culture was great, but his travelling companions for the year were really getting on his nerves. They kept putting him down and all that—Ash usually wasn't sensitive, but right now, it was getting progressively harder to not be done with it all and snap at them._ _ _ _ _ _

______He really didn't care at this point. Sure, they were insulting him, but _Pikachu? _His best friend and partner for seven years? Arceus, they were so in for it.___ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________But Ash didn't snap. He was better than that. So he just grabbed his pokedex from his pocket, went to the recording of Zekrom, and threw it at Iris's face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Okay, maybe he did snap. But just a little bit. But he did get a little laugh out of it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________That's fine. Although Unova wasn't his best region, Ash was getting better._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He let Iris and Cilan gawk at the recording, sighing and moving on into the forest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Come on, Pikachu," Ash smiled a real, genuine smile. "Let's go."_ _______

__"Pika pi-ka!"_ _

___Although his companions weren't really companions at all, he always found love and family in his pokemon.__ _


	2. Serena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash wasn't angry because he lost against Wulfric. No, that was completely fine. He was angry because he just couldn't focus on the battle. But... wasn't battling his favourite?
> 
> A small twist (who am I kidding it's a really big twist) on XY121 - Seeing the Forest for the Trees!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be a short little scene about Ash getting mad at Serena, but I ended up writing about the rest of the episode, as well.
> 
> My italics didn't work half the time, whoops

Ash wasn't angry because he lost against Wulfric. No, that was completely fine. He lost gym battles all the time; it was normal to. He was angry because he just couldn't focus on the battle. But... wasn't battling his favourite?

What was he going on about? Of course battling was his favourite! The adrenaline, the excitement, the victories... Ash loved training along side his pokemon.

Except his greninja was a different case. Of course, their bond was wonderful. It was great to connect to your pokemon like that!

But every time Ash and Greninja ended up in the form, he was able to look into Ash's feelings. Ash's thoughts. Ash's _past. ___

__\---------_ _

__At first, it wasn't so bad._ _

__Every time they tried battling, random memories of the past always came up. Sometimes they were small reminders of a gymbattle. Sometimes they were memories of fun times Misty and him had fun together. Sometimes, he was reminded of Brock's cooking. Lucario or Mew here and there. Maybe even the fun times with Victini!_ _

__In Terminus Cave, he had small glimpses of May's contest battle against him and Sceptile._ _

__But it ended up getting worse; after all, good things always come to an end._ _

__In a battle with Alain, he was stuck in the middle of Mewtwo's and Mew's blasts. All of a sudden, he couldn't move and it felt like he was getting turned to stone again._ _

__When going against Diantha and her Gardevoir, he was running across the forest, screaming for Riolu, hoping Hunter J didn't make it to her destination yet. A need to get stronger, to let out his aura to find riolu overcame him. _He needed to be stronger for riolu, he needed to save it-__ _

__It threw the match._ _

__And the battle against Wulfric... It was so _cold _in that gym. He knew it wasn't going to be a good idea, but he just had to catch up to Sawyer. In this battle, Ash was reminded of being thrown into space with Victini. Not fulfilling his promise. Making Pikachu and everyone worry. Failing Victini. Freezing to death.___ _

____It was too much. His thoughts cost him his victory._ _ _ _

____\--------_ _ _ _

____After leaving Greninja in critical condition, unsure if it'd wake up or not, Ash needed a break. So he set off into the forest._ _ _ _

_____'Mulling over the past isn't good.' _Mewtwo told him. _'It'll lead to overthinking. Be safe during your travels, Ash.'_ _ _ ____

________He sighed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mewtwo's words were right. He shouldn't dwell over what happened. He had to win the Kalos League and beat the Elite Four and Diantha. Come up with a strategy to beat Wulfric._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Ash was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps getting closer. Tensing, he turned around to identify the figure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Serena. Oh. So Arceus was gonna be like that, huh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Serena."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Ash."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Ash turned to sit on a log and put his cap down to cover his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just left you guys like that..." Ash tried. He didn't really want this conversation right now. He needed time to think. Alone. Not with a girl who has a crush on him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Serena cheerfully replied, trying to get closer. "It's okay! I'll listen, any time you want! I understand what you're feeling. I know how it is to lose. Remember my first Pokemon Showcase? I understand you-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Ash scowled. Serena didn't get anything. Serena didn't understand. Serena wasn't Misty, or Brock, or Gary._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You don't have a clue how I'm feeling!" Ash growled at her, not wanting to hear any more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______An uncomfortable silence passed._ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Serena was taken aback. Ash had never snapped at her like that before. Hell, Ash never snapped at anybody before, _period. _What was going on with him now?___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________'No, no, Serena. Don't be so hard on him. He just had two losses, he was just disappointed in himself.' _Serena chided herself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

____________"Then tell me about it so I can understand how you feel! I want you to be happy!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Ash snorted drily. "I'd rather not."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He didn't want to tell a girl who held him on an odd pedestal anything about him. He wasn't a hero._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Ash, what's going on?" Serena asked quietly, her voice laced with confusion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Nothing is going on, can you please leave now? I'd really like that." Ash stood up and turned away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________'Like you did to Paul.' _The small voice in his head was getting louder. _'Paul was a strong trainer. How about you? Stop turning away from things. Don't be pathetic. Or was Paul right?'_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____

________________He stopped. No, he wouldn't turn away. He wouldn't turn away ever again. Ash made a decision, only to be interrupted by a snowball._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"Stop it!" Serena yelled. "The Ash I know is full of positivity. He's a leader. He always tries his best and never gives up! No, he hangs in there until the very end! YOU'RE NOT ACTING LIKE THE ASH I KNOW! GIVE HIM BACK, BECAUSE YOU SURE AREN'T HIM!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She threw two more snowballs at him, only for them to be blocked by a shield that came out of nowhere._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________No, it didn't come out of nowhere. It came out of a very pissed Ash, who was glaring at her through the transparent wall, eyes a ferocious and prominent blue and hands glowing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"What, I can't be in a bad mood because I was reminded of something I hated? Because bad memories were brought back? It's like everyone thinks 'Oh, Ash is such a nice guy, Ash is so happy-go-lucky, Ash can't be in a bad mood!'" Ash laughed bitterly, snarling at Serena. "Well guess what? Ash CAN be in a bad mood, and right now, Ash IS in a bad mood!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He lost control of his aura. His shield shattered, tendrils and explosions of cerulean blue burst out of Ash's form, pushing Serena back into the snow, and seeping into the forest grounds. Where the aura touched, the snow melted and flowers bloomed, snapping Serena out of her daze._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He ran deeper into the forest, looking to search for Greninja._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________\---------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He didn't mean to burst out like that, okay?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Ash was a calm person, he knew how to reign in his emotions—when he drops his childish facade, that is._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________But this time, he was actually mad at Serena. Did she really expect him to be perfect and wonderful to everybody all the time? He gets it, he met her when they were five, and he was some sort of Prince Charming to her, but if she really thought that he was going to be a hero 24/7, he doesn't know what to give her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He shook his head. He'll go apologize to Serena for no reason whatsoever when he gets back from finding Greninja. Hopefully no questions will be raised about his random burst of aura._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________Speaking about that... _Ash closed his eyes in concentration, searching for a frog-like figure through his aura vision.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________There he was. Greninja was trying to save a few spewpa from the cold._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Ash grinned. His pokemon were always there to cheer him up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He set off to go help his friend._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________\--------- Meanwhile... ---------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Serena sobbed, running back to the cabin right before the snow started falling too hard._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Serena?" Bonnie ran up to her, laughing. "Serena! You're back! Do you have Ash with you? Is he a keeper ye-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Bonnie finally noticed the tears coming from Serena's face, her expression quickly changing to concern, hugging her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Serena! Are you okay?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Serena hugged back, trying to hold back the tears. "Ash, he-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Clemont finally caught up to the two._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Oh, you're ba- Serena, what's wrong?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________They went back inside, giving Serena some hot chocolate and a place to sit._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Tell us what happened," Clemont suggested. "maybe we can help."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She started the story. "Well, I was looking for Ash, and I found him standing in this clearing. I thought he was disappointed about his losses, so I tried to empathize with him so I could cheer him up! But- But he snapped at me, saying that I didn't understand a thing he was feeling."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Clemont shook his head. "That wasn't a very nice thing to do, was it?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Well, I guess not. So I asked him what was wrong, only for him to tell me that it was none of my business! But I care about him a lot, so I wanted to know what was going on. Then I got mad, and told him that he wasn't the Ash we knew. That Ash was positive, not whatever he was feeling... I ended up throwing snowballs at him, but he blocked it! His eyes turned this scary blue and a shield formed in front of him. He was so _mad at me. _He lost his temper and the shield exploded. I ran away after that."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Bonnie was confused. "You sure that happened? Ash isn't magic."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I don't know, but I saw him do it!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Tell you what," Clemont tried consoling her. "We'll confront Ash about it when he comes back. Alright?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Okay."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Hours later, he came back to the cabin, bantering with Greninja._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Hey! I'm back..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________His greeting died off in his throat when he saw a nervous Serena sitting on the couch, biting her lip. His eyes snapped to a curious Clemont, and a mad Bonnie._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He sighed. Well, this is going to be a long night._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... am sorry to the people who like Serena
> 
> A part of what Ash said was taken from https://incorrectpokeani-quotes.tumblr.com/post/626184850298241024/serena-you-seem-out-of-sorts-ash-what-i-cant#notes - I just made a bit more angsty

**Author's Note:**

> i had this idea when trying to sleep, but, y'know, sLEep, so here i am in the morning trying to remember what I wanted to do.
> 
> Some lines were taken from Maiden22's "I Understand (5 + 1)", because I thought they would work well here :>
> 
> Feel free to give some character suggestions!


End file.
